“The Stuff of Dreams” – Katie Taylor Relishing Another Historic Night at MSG
Katie Taylor says she is still living out her childhood dream as she prepares to close the curtain on one of boxing’s most iconic rivalries with Amanda Serrano this Friday night at Madison Square Garden.
The Irish star will headline an all-female Netflix card at the world’s most famous arena — the same venue where this trilogy began in 2022 with a record-breaking, fight-of-the-year war.
Two years later, Taylor returns to New York City with a 2-0 lead and the chance to make it a clean sweep in what the groundbreaking history-making boxing calls another “historic night.”
“This really is the stuff of dreams,” said the Bray boxer. “These are the kind of nights you can’t turn down. This is something I dreamed of when I was a young kid growing up in the sport — to be headlining another huge event at Madison Square Garden.”
The Olympic gold medal winner’s amazing legacy has already long since been secured, but points out the magnitude of the moment — and the continued importance of the Serrano rivalry — made the third fight irresistible.
“I think this is still the biggest fight in women’s boxing,” she stated. “To be involved in another historic night like this — I just love these kind of nights. I’m very, very grateful.”
The 39-year-old has more than just titles and wins on her mind. She reflected on the broader legacy of her battles with the New York native, especially the impact they’ve had on young girls around the world.
“Some of my favorite stories are of young girls going to the gym purely because they saw myself and Amanda fight,” she said. “That impact alone, for me, is very, very special. It’s more important than any victory.
“To be involved in two historic nights already, and to go into the trilogy 2-0… it’s been amazing,” she said. “Just to have the impact that we’ve had on the sport as a whole — it really is incredible.”
The build to the third installment has been a bit fiestier than the lead into the other two encouthers. Team Serrano inparticular have been crying foul, shouting robbery and accusing the Bray boxer of using her head illegally in the second bout.
However, the Olympic gold medal winner says for the most part the pair are friendly between fights.
“We’re very friendly outside the ring,” she smiled. “But once we get in there, we leave it all in there. That’s what makes these kinds of fights super exciting. We’re going to give it our all.”
